This invention relates generally to memories that use phase-change materials.
Phase-change materials may exhibit at least two different states. The states may be called the amorphous and crystalline states. Transitions between these states may be selectively initiated in response to temperature changes. The states may be distinguished because the amorphous state generally exhibits higher resistivity than the crystalline state. The amorphous state involves a more disordered atomic structure and the crystalline state involves a more ordered atomic structure. Generally, any phase-change material may be utilized. In some embodiments, however, thin-film chalcogenide alloy materials may be particularly suitable.
The phase-change may be induced reversibly. Therefore, the memory may change from the amorphous to the crystalline state and may revert back to the amorphous state thereafter or vice versa. In effect, each memory cell may be thought of as a programmable resistor that reversibly changes between higher and lower resistance states.
In some situations, a cell may have a large number of states. That is, because each state may be distinguished by its resistance, a number of resistance determined states may be possible, allowing the storage of multiple bits of data in a single cell.
A variety of phase-change alloys are known. Generally, chalcogenide alloys contain one or more elements from column VI of the periodic table. One particularly suitable group of alloys are GeSbTe alloys.
A phase-change material may be formed within a passage or pore defined through a dielectric material. The phase-change material may be coupled to contacts on either end of the passage. State transitions may be induced by applying a current to heat the phase-change material.
An access device may be defined in the substrate of a semiconductor integrated circuit to activate an overlying phase-change material. Other phase-change memory components may also be integrated into the semiconductor substrate. Patterning features over integrated topography may adversely impact the underlying integrated features. Thus, it would be desirable to form the phase-change memory in a fashion, above the rest of the integrated circuit, that does not interfere with any of the previously fabricated integrated structures.
Another issue with phase-change memories is that the greater the heat loss from each memory cell, the greater the current that must be applied for device programming. Thus, it would be desirable to reduce the amount of heat loss from the heated phase-change material. Similarly, it is desirable to distribute the heat homogenously across the phase-change material. However, many currently proposed techniques result in local variations in device resistance after a programming event. These local variations may also result in stress in local regions during the phase-change programming.
It would be desirable to reduce the cell size as much as possible to thereby reduce product cost. Also it would be desirable to reduce the number of manufacturing steps to the greatest possible extent, to reduce costs.
Thus, there is a need for improved phase-change memories and techniques for making the same.